Sword grip and pommel

Anglo-Saxon, late 8th century
ADFrom Fetter Lane, London,
England

From a high status Late Saxon
weapon

This elegant silver sword hilt was found in the
nineteenth century during building-foundation work in the City of
London. A workman bought the sword hilt for half a crown (12.5p).
The hilt (the iron sword blade and grip are missing) eventually
came into the possession of the great scholar and collector Sir
Augustus Franks who gave it to The British Museum. How was such a
fine piece lost or hidden in the Anglo-Saxon
city?

The pommel (the top
part of the hilt) is completely gilded and has a central arch at
the centre decorated on both sides with scroll patterns. The plain
gilded ribs of the pommel contrast with the dense swirling ornament
engraved on the grip. This is inlaid with black
niello,
with the background of leaves picked out in gold. One side has a
spiral of four snakes as the main design, the other a design based
on a animal set in a spread-eagle style. The central spiral marks
where the front legs and neck of the animal spring from the body;
the gaping head is in the upper right
corner.

Although linked to
other designs of the later eighth century, this ornament is
exceptional and the combined use of speckling and niello look
forward to the Trewhiddle
Style of the ninth. The hilt was made from
several pieces of silver riveted onto a base; it is now mounted on
a modern piece of wood. Heavier, iron hilts with solid fittings
became popular in the next century, which confirms this relatively
light composite pommel as late eighth century.

D.M. Wilson, Anglo-Saxon art (London, Thames and Hudson, 1984)

L. Webster and J. Backhouse, The making of England: Anglo-S, exh. cat. (London, The British Museum Press, 1991)